Vermont Governor Wants More Time on Health Plan

The administration of Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin says it wants more time to firm up the financing for a single-payer health plan to be in place by 2017.

A health care law passed two years ago gave the administration until this month to develop a financing plan. But hopes were then for a federal waiver that would allow the planned Green Mountain Care program to start in 2014. That waiver hasn't been forthcoming, pushing the date back three years.

Administration officials are saying they expect the plan will save money for Vermont and its health care consumes, in part because of increasing federal outlays helping the state pay for the cost of care.

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont House has given final approval to a mid-fiscal-year budget adjustment that takes savings from Medicaid and uses the money to address other growing demands in human services.

The biggest new line item is more than $4.5 million for the ReachUp program, which helps people move from welfare to work. Others are $3.2 million for child development and about $2 million each for general assistance and mental health.